362 Geographical Notices. 



The geological department has completed its work in the provinces of 

 Burgos, Santander, and Madrid, and has commenced with those of Leon, 

 Zamora, and A vita. 



lu the department of Woods and Forests various topographical details 

 have been obtained in the provinces of Santander, Burgos, Valencia, As- 

 turias, Oviedo, and Leon. 



All these works have been executed under the direction of the Funta- 

 General of Estadistica, who is appointed by the Government to take 

 charge of scientific researches regarding the Spanish territory. 



3. Khaxikoff's Rkseabches in Persia.— The Russian traveller, N.de 



Khanikotl", who has been engajred in making up the deficiencies in our 

 imperfect knowledge of the Aderbeijan, in Persia, has made a new map 

 of that region, which he has had engraved at Berlin. He has distribu- 

 ted several copies of it, and transmitted his observations regarding that 

 interesting mountain district to the Academy of Sciences in Paris, and 

 also to our secretary, Dr. Shaw, for the use of the Royal Geographical 

 Society. 



degree of regularity characterizes the mountain-ranges 

 ot this province ot Persia, which is bounded both on the east and on 

 the west by lofty longitudinal ridges. To the east the Talish mountains 

 separate it from the basin of the Caspian ; and to the west the chain of 

 Kandilar forms a barrier between it and Mesopotamia. To the north and 

 to the south of the Aderbeijan these two chains are joined by longitu- 

 dinal elevations: the one, commencing at Mount Savalan (of 4752 me- 

 tres), joins the Kandilan chain in Kurdistan : the other, coming off from 

 the Talish mountains, and known as the Buzgush chain, joins Mount Se- 

 hend (of 3505 metres). The space included between Mount Savalan and 



the Talish chain of mountains is occupied by the plain of Mughan, ana 

 the Salt Lake of Urmia is situated in the region lying between the Se- 

 hend and the Kandilan chain. The lowest point of this part ot Persia, 

 to say, the level of the Lake of Urmia, is 125( 

 el of the sea; and the highest point in the provinc* 

 iummit of Ararat, 5169 metres high. The line of 

 in elevation from 3600 to 3800 metres. This regul 

 surface of the district, and the character of the clin 

 high position, are very favorable for topographic 

 r the atmosphere is generally so clear that one is n( 

 ;ng able to see some one of the lofty summits whicl 

 for reference ; and it rarely happens that mirage < 



! precision with which the s 



of objects for an entire day. ^^otwith: 



the offi- 



1 topographers from amongst tne o^^ 

 cers oi lue v^aucasns wno aciea under his orders, as well as hiinselt, 

 deavored to execute the work of laying down the itineraries of detacliea 

 regions, it would be impossible to combine these independent labors wi.^^ 

 out the basis of some well-determined astronomical geometrical o'>^^V 

 tions. These happily were not wanting, as he bad latitudes and long 

 tudes in Persia which had been settled by M. Lemm, and the f *"'^, ^ 

 the triangulation of the Caucasus under the direction of Gen. Cl'^S'^^ " 

 The former gave a series of fixed points in the neighborhood of n 

 Araxes ; and the latter supplied the like data, rigorously established, ^ 



